


An Amount of Wood

by kitestringer



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: M/M, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-25
Updated: 2010-04-25
Packaged: 2017-10-09 03:42:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/82653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitestringer/pseuds/kitestringer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Remus and Peter are revising for Potions.  Sirius "helps."</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Amount of Wood

**Author's Note:**

> Written in response to a random prompt I assigned myself. *g* Although this is only a very short little vignette, a lot of people have been kind enough to take a look at it! Thanks to [](http://kaynyne.livejournal.com/profile)[**kaynyne**](http://kaynyne.livejournal.com/), [](http://rustler.livejournal.com/profile)[**rustler**](http://rustler.livejournal.com/), [](http://maverick4oz.livejournal.com/profile)[**maverick4oz**](http://maverick4oz.livejournal.com/), [](http://pollitt.livejournal.com/profile)[**pollitt**](http://pollitt.livejournal.com/), and [](http://pirl.livejournal.com/profile)[**pirl**](http://pirl.livejournal.com/), for comments and encouragement.
> 
> Originally posted in March of 2007.

'It's the _flesh_ of a tree, Wormtail. It's a qualitatively different ingredient than something like, say, apple seeds.'

'Why, again?' Peter asked, chewing at the end of his quill.

'Because,' Sirius said, 'when you take wood from a tree, you're wounding the tree. Take enough of it, and you _kill_ the tree.' He paused, watching the wings of James's Snitch struggle between the fingers of his clenched fist. He was tilting his chair back so far it made Remus's stomach flutter nervously, 'It's analogous to taking flesh from a person and using it to do magic. That's what I've been trying to tell you. The type of magic involved in a wood-based potion is analogous. It's intrinsically _darker._'

Peter was now eyeing the wooden tabletop warily. Remus sighed and rolled his eyes. 'Go on, Sirius. You make it sound so...'

'Evil?' Sirius tossed the Snitch into the air, where it fluttered excitedly in its newfound freedom and began zooming about the Common Room. 'Well, it's a strong word, but--'

'But wizards — normal, _proper_ wizards — have been using wood oils in potions and all sorts of spells for ages,' Remus interrupted, ducking as the Snitch whizzed just over his head. 'Our _wands_ are made of wood. There's nothing _wrong_ with it. You're only confusing Peter.'

Sirius gave Remus one of his secret looks — the raised eyebrow, the glitter of mischief in his eyes, the slightest of smirks curving the corner of his mouth. It was normally James who received such looks, while Remus looked on, quiet and hungry. But James was at Quidditch practice, leaving Remus to fill the role of co-conspirator or object of teasing, whichever struck Sirius's fancy at any given moment.

'Peter,' Sirius said, loudly. 'Not all magic involving wood is dark magic. Remus believes it's best I keep things simple for you. I'm sure he doesn't mean anything insulting by it.'

Peter snorted. 'That's nothing new. Remus has always thought I was a bit thick.'

'Oh, for the love of...' Remus, disproportionately irritated, thrust out a foot and nudged the leg of Sirius's chair with his toe; it was just enough to overbalance it, and Sirius was forced to leap to his feet as it went crashing to the floor. Remus stood and turned quickly away from the sight of him, standing there so smugly in his knowledge that he would instantly, effortlessly be forgiven. 'You're complete prats, both of you. Enjoy your revision. I'm going to the Library.'

'Moo-_ny_!'

Before Remus could get a leg through the Portrait Hole, the errant Snitch hit him in the back of the head with a _thunk,_ and then it was Sirius hitting him, pressing all along the back of him, one arm slung around his neck, holding him still.

'Don't go,' Sirius whispered, hot wet breath in his ear. 'You wouldn't want me to further misinform Wormtail, would you?'

And Remus caught his breath and decided he'd might as well stay, because revising for Potions was always less tedious with company, and Sirius never whispered to James like that, not like _that._


End file.
